Sepsis: Doctors launch awareness campaign about leading cause of death in Ireland

Vivienne Clarke

The Irish College of GPs (ICGP) has launched an awareness campaign about sepsis, the leading cause of death in Ireland.

Dr Diarmuid Quinlan, medical director of the ICGP, said GPs were often the first to see patients, so it was important they were aware of the symptoms.

“Sepsis is a leading cause of death in Ireland,” he told RTÉ's Morning Ireland. “We have over 15,000 cases a year and almost 20 per cent die. So that's over 3,000 deaths from sepsis a year. And when we think of that 30,000 people die in Ireland every year, so for 3,000 to die of sepsis, puts the enormity of sepsis in perspective.”

Dr Quinlan said sepsis affects people at the extremes of age – children and small babies and particularly people over the age of 75.

“Sepsis is a life-threatening, abnormal immune response to an infection. And infections most commonly are in the lungs, urinary infections, in the skin and in the tummy. It's really important for people to know and recognise the symptoms that are signs of sepsis and then go and see a doctor urgently.

“The signs really are very common, and they're often very non-specific and vague and are similar across children and adults.”

Dr Quinlan said people with chronic conditions were also susceptible, such as patients with diabetes, liver disease, heart disease, and those on certain medications, particularly steroids and immunosuppressants.

He added: “Sepsis really came very much onto our radar nationally with the very tragic and untimely death of Savita Halappanavar over a decade ago.

“The HSE has put an enormous amount of resources into addressing sepsis in hospitals. And in the last year or more, the HSE has now supported general practice to develop educational resources for treatment.”

Dr Quinlan said Ireland's ageing population means there are now substantially more people who are at greater risk of developing sepsis.

“There are unique challenges and unique opportunities for GPs in the early detection of sepsis,” he said.